FKJGP term govt’s decision to reopen road at Them Iew Mawlong as tactic to further delay relocation of “illegal” residents

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaNovember 1, 2024

The Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) on Friday expressed its strong opposition against the state government’s decision to reopen the road from Mawlonghat to Bimola junction with effect from November 4.

“The government’s decision is nothing but a tactic to fool the people of the region to further delay the relocation of the residents, who are illegally residing in Them Iew Mawlong,” FKJGP vice president Kitboklang Nongphlang said in a statement issued here.

He said it has been a long pending demand of the people of Hynniewtrep to relocate the residents from Them Iew Mawlong and they have been patiently waiting for six long years ever since the violent protest in 2018 that eventually led to the closure of the road at Them Iew Mawlong.

“We also cannot forget the numerous incidents of assaults, looting and misbehaving with women folks in that area, which were happening from time to time and yet authorities were protecting them instead of taking action and whereas local people end up being scapegoats. Even after the closure of the road in these past six year, still we continue to witness illegal activities including drug trafficking happening in this particular area,” Nongphlang stated.

Further, the FKJGP leader also alleged there is some kind of nexus behind the order passed by the deputy commissioner of East Khasi Hills on October 30, to reopen the said road.

“We cannot accept the use of “Punjabi Lane’ in the DC’s order instead of writing Them Iew Mawlong. We would like to ask the government if the use of Pynjabi Lane was intentional to affirm that the illegal residents are the rightful owners of the particular land?” he asked.

“At the same time, we also warn the government that it should be ready to take full responsibility if any law and order situation arises,” Nongphlang said while also asking the state government not to allow outsiders to interfere in the issue but to immediately relocate the residents from Them Iew Mawlong.

On the other hand, Nongphlang said that the FKJGP also observed that the government’s claim that its decision to reopen the road is to address the traffic congestion in the area is just an excuse to the fact that they don’t have the will to relocate the residents due to fear that it may affect their vote bank politics.

“If the government really has the intention to decongest Shillong city and to address the traffic congestion at Iewduh area, it should have immediately taken steps to relocate the illegal residents from Them Iew Mawlong instead of coming up with such lame excuses to fool the people,” he said.

Meanwhile, the FKJGP also urged all the 36 MLAs of the Khasi and Jaintia Hills region to unite and ensure that this long pending demand of the people of the region become a reality at the earliest possible.